Three Women, Four Horses Hurt As Van Swerves Police

Three sisters and four horses escaped serious injury yesterday morning when the van they were riding in tipped over after the driver attempted to avoid an accident in Lower Saucon Township.

Susan and Nina Leopold of Bath, and Laurie Scott of Gouldsboro, Wayne County, received only bumps and bruises, while three of the four horses received the same. A fourth horse was treated by Hellertown veterinarian Chris Draper for shock and colic. He said that the two disorders were caused by stress from the accident but that the horse should be all right.

It took emergency personnel about 90 minutes to free the horses by cutting a hole in the van's roof with electric saws and manual tools.

The van was traveling south on Route 378 approaching Seidersville Road about 7:30 a.m., according to Susan Leopold, who was a passenger. She said the women were going from Glenbrook Farm in Bath to a horse show in Doylestown.

Susan Leopold said they were "on top of the intersection when the light turned yellow." She said Nina swerved toward Seidersville Road to avoid hitting a school bus facing east, which she said appeared to be moving despite a red light for Seidersville Road traffic.

Susan Leopold said her sister swerved again into a vacant lot to avoid hitting a westbound car on Seidersville Road. Susan Leopold said the 1968 International Loadstar van fell on the passenger's side, pushing the horses on top of each other. An axle broke, and the weight of the shifting horses caused the van to upset.

A police report was unavailable yesterday.

Draper was called to the scene by Lower Saucon police. Meanwhile, the van's occupants calmed the horses. Susan Leopold gave credit to Patrolman Gregory Sfredda, who is knowledgeable about horses, for his assistance.

She praised the Se-Wy-Co fire, ambulance and rescue personnel for their prompt and considerate attention.

The horses, thoroughbreds valued at a total of $46,000, were transported back to the farm by another van.